Damien English (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 106: To ask the Minister for Defence the role of the Navy; his plans to change same in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38152/05]

Tom Kitt (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The role of the Defence Forces is set out in the White Paper on Defence as follows: to defend the State against armed aggression, this being a contingency, preparations for its implementation will depend on an ongoing Government assessment of the security and defence environment; to aid the civil power, meaning, in practice, to assist, when requested, the Garda Síochána, which has primary responsibility for law and order, including the protection of the internal security of the State; to participate in multinational peace support, crisis management and humanitarian relief operations in support of the United Nations and under UN mandate, including regional security missions authorised by the UN; to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with the State's obligations as a member of the EU; and to carry out such other duties as may be assigned to them from time to time, such as search and rescue, air ambulance service, ministerial air transport service, assistance on the occasion of natural or other disasters, assistance in connection with the maintenance of essential services, assistance in combating oil pollution at sea.

The Naval Service provides the maritime element of the Defence Forces and has a general responsibility to meet contingent and actual maritime defence requirements. Fishery protection activities account for over 90% of Naval Service operations. There are no plans to change the role of the Naval Service.